The Voyage of St. Brendan

St. Brendan (ca. 484-577) was one of the most famous of the Celtic pilgrims, renowned not only for the piety of his life and for founding several monasteries in Ireland, but also for his amazing voyages west over the open seas in one of these small boats which were (and still are) called coracles. It is certain that on his longest voyage he and his fellow monks made it as far west as Newfoundland, and there is good reason to believe that he even made it farther south on the North American continent. The written account of his journey, "The Voyage of St. Brendan", became a 'best-seller' for a thousand years as sort of a combination of adventure story and devotional writing. He is considered to be a patron saint of pilgrims and his feast day is May 16. At times, St. Brendan, out on a small boat at seas with his fellow monk, would direct them to pull in the rudder and just let the wind take them where they should go. He said, "Is not God the pilot and sailor of our boats? Leave it to him… he himself guides our journey as he will."

Peregrenatio, the spiritual discipline of pilgrimage, stands as one of the most enduring legacies of the Celtic Christian tradition. Ian Bradley writes in The Celtic Way, "Peregrenatio was the outward symbol of an inner change, a metaphor and a symbol for that journey towards deeper faith and greater holiness and that journey towards God which is the Christian life."

But this journey also had a profoundly outward element. Indeed, in the second half of the first millennium much of northern Europe was evangelized because of these simple, wandering saints who carried little but a Bible and a staff. They were the first to carry the gospel message to N. Europe and founded monasteries in Scotland, England, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and down into Italy.

Camping Retreats

It’s safe to say that for me personally, a critical part of my spiritual formation earlier in life came through spending time alone with God, in nothing but nature, sleeping in a tent, with no other company except God and the wonders of creation and a constant campfire. Whether in the woods and waters of Minnesota, the mountains of New Hampshire, or the forests of Virginia, when I set apart time for God in his wilder world, he showed up to me, every time. I cannot remember a time when God didn’t meet me very meaningfully, if not surprisingly powerfully, when I went camping with God. You can do that at Corhaven.

And, it’s safe to say that already some of my most sweet, powerful, and relationally shaping moments with my kids is when I camp out with them, as individuals or even as a family. Father/Son camping, Father/Daughter camping, or Mother/Son or Daughter camping…it doesn’t matter, these will be some of the sweetest memories of our parenting, and creates surprising space for conversation and connection with kids as young as three years old! There’s nothing quite like nature’s noises in the dark to make your child snuggle up close! And nothing quite like watching them simply run around in the woods and water, with new discoveries for them about every ten minutes. And you can do this at Corhaven.

And, one of the most bonding experiences I’ve had with friends who became better friends or families we wanted to enjoy life with more and deepen in relationship with has been to experience life in the woods together. And you can do this at Corhaven.

We’ve got at least three camping areas at Corhaven, in different sizes with different views, cleared out of the untamed forest, with all these sorts of experiences in mind for others. There’s a small site specifically with parent and child in mind (nearer to our house), or solitude for an individual. There’s a large site that already has held as many as 40 people in tents, and could handle even more. And there’s another with the song of a small waterfall for music.

An important difference in camping at Corhaven though is that it comes with proximity to a bathroom and shower, if desired the possibility of strong hot coffee in the morning or wine at night, and Eucharist should that be desired as part of your camping retreat, even some guidance for your time if that would be helpful.

To make a reservation, go here. We love having people ‘hidden with God’ in Corhaven’s forest, and hope that will include you!

PS: Here’s a few lines written in the early 1990s, from one of my own camping retreats….

Father, I’m off on my own in the near winter forest finding You alone so finding what’s best; The winds like the Spirit are rushing all around how wonderful to hear them in this moment’s sweeping sound. Thank You, Lord, for the provisions of the earth in my hand Your Word gives true meaning for its birth; You’ve given this gift to find in it Your glory as this man on a cliff finds comfort in Your story.

Corhaven is a “retreat home” nestled in the Shenandoah Valley offering solitude and retreats for individuals or larger groups.